Amusement apparatus.



Q/Vihwomo PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906. O. M. CONNELLY.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1l 1905.

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AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1905.

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No. 816,435. PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906. O. M. CONNELLY.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1905.

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AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 27, 1906.

Application filed November 11,1905. Serial No. 286.949.

T 0 all whom it party concern:

Be it known that I, OWEN M. CONNELLY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to amusement ap paratus of that general type in which passenger coaches or cars are arranged upon a vertically-disposed wheel or rotary frame.

The object of the invention is to provide an amusement apparatus of this type wherein the wheel or rotary frame is provided with a series of chambers or compartments having cars arranged to run therein, whereby as the frame rotates the cars will travel in the compartments, the double movement thus produced rendering the action amusing, diverting, and highly exhilarating to the passengers.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construc tion and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an amusement apparatus embodying my inven tion. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse section through therein.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 represent arched frame-pieces mounted upon columns or supports 3 and arranged in spaced parallel relation to provide a supporting-frame. The arches are provided at their crown portions with bearings 4c, and journaled therein is a transverse shaft or axle 5, one end of which is extended beyond the adjacent portion of the frame and provided with a sprocketwheel 6, adapted to receive motion from'a drive sprocket-chain 7, driven by any suitable source of power. Any other type of mechanism may be employed for driving the axle. Fixed to the shaft between the arched frame-pieces and extending radially therefrom are pairs of arms 8, each comprising divergently-arranged side pieces 9 and 10, suitably connected at intervals by intermediate webs or braces 11 and at their outer ends by curved or arcuate seat-pieces 12,

and the car arranged suitably arranged with the extremities of the side pieces to form approximately semicircular seats or yoke portions for the reception of a circular chamber or compartment 13. The chambers or compartments are bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the respective pairs of divergent arms and are reinforced from the shaft or a hub secured thereto by braces 14. Each frame or compartment comprises an annular body-wall 15 of any suitable material and is provided with an innerlining 16, preferably metal, which forms a circular trackway. At the sides of each chamber or compartment are guard rings or flanges 17 and on the inner sides thereof and secured to the body-frame are annular retaining-rails 18. In each chamber or compartment is a car or coach 19, provided with seats for passengers and mounted upon axles 20, carrying wheels or rollers 21 to run upon the annular trackway or lining 16. These wheels or rollers are arranged in close relation to the retaining -rails 18, which serve as guides, forming with the track-surface 16 a channeled course in which the car travels and whereby any possible displacement of the car from its track-bed is effectually prevented.

It will be observed that the construction is such that the chambers or compartments are and securely fastened to and supported from the central shaft without the necessity of employing a connecting or encircling rim, and by constructing the radial arms of tied and braced sections of anglesteel it will be apparent that the rotating frame may be made as staunch and rigid as desired without rendering its weight excessive and without the necessity of employing a high degree of power to effect the rotation thereof.

In operation motion is communicated to the shaft 6 through the drivegearing, and the rotary frame is thereby caused to revolve and to carry the chambers or compartments in a circular path, the cars of the compartments in their course of rotation moving from a position adjacent to the ground to the highest point of revolution and back again, the apparatus being kept in motion when the cars are filled for a determined period and the frame stopped in the usual manner to take on and let off passengers as each chamber reaches the lowest portion in its path of revolution. As the rotaryframe turns, the car 19 in each chamber or compartment runs with greater or less rapidity,

rapidity of revolution of the channeled trackway of in which it is disposed, but always maintains a horizontal position, this motion of the car simulating travel in a straight line while the wheel or rotary frame revolves and also causing a dip or undulatory movement to be imparted to the car, thus giving a compound motion which will cause interest, diversion, and afford zest and amusement to the passengers. Owing to the arrangement of the guard flanges 17 and retaining rails 18 all liability of displacement of the cars from their compartments will be obviated, and as the sides of the compartment are open a full view of the surrounding scenery at different elevations in the course of travel may be obtained.

Any number of chambers or compartments may be employed, but are preferably arranged, as in the structure shown,in such relation as to secure a perfectly-balanced wheel or rotating frame. The radial arms are preferably connected with. a hub or sleeve 22, which is fixed to the shaft when the shaft itself rotates; but it will of course be understood that the hub may turn on the shaft and the latter be rigidly mounted and the operating mechanism varied accordingly.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. An amusement device comprising a rotatable frame provided with radial arms, compartments supported upon the outer ends of the arms and provided with annular trackways, and cars in the compartments adapted to traverse said trackways.

2. An amusement device comprising a rotatable frame having radial arms, each of said arms being formed of diverging members and a curved connecting-brace, forming therewith a partially-circular seat at the outer end of the arm, circular compartments araccording to the the frame around the compartment ranged within the seats of the arms and provided with annular trackways, and cars in the compartments adapted to traverse said trackways.

3. An amusement device comprising a rotatable frame having radial arms, each of said arms being provided at its outer end with a semicircular seat, circular compartments arranged in said seats and provided with annular trackways, and cars in the compartments adapted to traverse said trackways.

tatable frame having a series of radial arms arranged in pairs, each pair of radial arms being provided with semicircular seats, compartments arranged within said seats and secured to the arms, each compartment being provided with an annular trackway, and a car arranged to traverse said trackway.

5. An amusement device comprising a rotatable frame having a series of radial arms, compartments carried by said arms, each of said compartments comprising an annular frame having an interior lining forming an annular traclesurface, guards at the sides of said track-surface, and a car within the compartment having wheels or rollers to traverse said track-surface between the guards.

6. An amusement device comprising a rotatable frame having radial arms, each of said arms comprising pairs of divergent members, and braces connecting the members of each pair, the outer ends of the arms being formed with semicircular seats, circular compartments arranged in said seats and provided with annular trackways, and cars in the compartments adapted to traverse said trackways.

7. An amusement device comprising a rotatable frame having a series of radial arms, each of said arms comprisingspaced members formed of side pieces having semicircular seats at their outer ends, compartments arranged in said seats and secured to the arms, each compartment having an annular trackway, and a car arranged therein and adapted to traverse said trackway.

8. An amusement device comprising a ro tatable frame, annular chambers or compartments carried by said frame, each compartment having an interior annular trackway, annular guards at the sides of said trackway, retaining-rails on the inner sides of the guards, and a car having wheels or rollers to traverse said trackway between the retaining-rails.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OWEN M. CON NELLY.

Witnesses:

JACOB CLARE, THoMAs HANNAN.

4. An amusement device comprising a ro- 

